Legislative Research Commission Director Under Fire

FRANKFORT, Ky. - The executive director of the Legislative Research Commission is under pressure from LRC employee Yolanda Costner to resign. Costner is one of three women who filed a sexual harassment complaint against Western Kentucky lawmaker John Arnold and charged the LRC with failing to take their complaint seriously.

LRC Executive Director Robert Sherman

Costner said Tuesday in a phone interview that LRC director Robert Sherman has failed the organization.

Sherman, who oversees close to 350 employees, has not responded to the allegations, but has said he would invite any review of his staff’s handling of the complaint. Arnold has so far declined to comment to reporters. The Sturgis Democrat was first elected in 1995, and won re-election in 2012 by five votes.

Costner says she has not heard from a mediator that LRC hired to deal with the complaints since July.